Small Campus. Mighty Homecoming. Sumter Comes Alive for the Hornets.
There is a version of HBCU homecoming that never makes the highlight reels — no 40,000-person tailgate, no headline concert, no traffic jams stretching for miles. Instead, there is a packed gymnasium in Sumter, South Carolina, where three generations of one family sit in the same section they have sat in for decades, where the Homecoming Queen is crowned at a worship service instead of a stadium, and where the loudest cheer of the night goes up not for a touchdown, but for a buzzer-beater. That is Morris College Homecoming — small, sacred, and unmistakably Black Baptist Sumter.
Morris College's Homecoming runs on its own clock. Rather than an October football Saturday — Morris fields no football team — the Hornets' homecoming tradition is built around the heart of basketball season, historically landing in the mid-to-late January window (recent editions were anchored by a Pre-Homecoming Harvest Worship Service and Rally, where Homecoming royalty is crowned, followed the next Saturday by a men's and women's basketball doubleheader against a conference rival). Morris College has not yet published exact 2027 Homecoming dates — based on that pattern, BTN expects Homecoming 2027 to land in the second half of January. Check morris.edu and the college's official social channels as the date is confirmed, and bookmark this page; we will update it the moment the schedule is locked in.
Get Morris College Homecoming Updates
What Makes Morris College Homecoming Unlike Any Other
Morris is one of over 100 HBCUs, but its homecoming stands apart for three reasons.
First, Morris College itself. Founded in 1908, Morris is one of the few senior colleges in America built and operated solely under African American auspices — established by and for the Black Baptist community of South Carolina. With roughly 400 students on a 33-acre campus, it is intentionally, unapologetically small. Homecoming here is not a spectacle for outsiders; it is a family reunion.
Second, Sumter, South Carolina. This mid-sized Midlands city carries an outsized amount of Black American history — the birthplace of Mary McLeod Bethune's education, the hometown of U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, the home of four Tuskegee Airmen, and the base of Civil Rights strategist James T. McCain's Freedom Rides organizing. Morris College Homecoming happens inside that living history.
Third, the intimacy. There is no football team at Morris — the Hornets compete in baseball, basketball, and track for men, and basketball, softball, and volleyball for women. That means the centerpiece of Homecoming is a basketball doubleheader inside the Garrick-Boykin Human Development Center, not a 40,000-seat stadium. You will not get lost in the crowd here. You will get folded into it.
The History: Morris College & Its Homecoming Tradition
Morris College traces its roots to 1877, when the State Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of South Carolina was founded at First Missionary Baptist Church in Sumter. Three decades later, in 1908, that same Convention founded Morris College and named it for the Rev. Frank Morris, a respected Black community leader. Jacob J. Durham helped lead the effort to build the school from the ground up. The college awarded its first bachelor's degrees in 1915.
Morris grew slowly and deliberately across the 20th century, anchored by the leadership of president Luns C. Richardson, who guided the college for an extraordinary 43 years, from 1974 to 2017. Today Morris remains a member of the United Negro College Fund and holds accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2023, the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund awarded Morris a grant to help preserve its historic campus buildings, some of which date back to 1924 — a recognition of just how much history these 33 acres hold.
Homecoming at Morris has always been woven into the rhythm of a small Baptist college: a Harvest Worship Service and Rally to open festivities and crown Homecoming royalty, capped by a basketball doubleheader that brings alumni, faculty, and the Sumter community into the same gym for one loud, joyful night.
Why Morris College Homecoming Matters
Morris College is one of the few HBCUs in America built, financed, and staffed entirely by and for the Black community it serves — not a state institution, not a formerly white college that opened its doors, but a college that Black South Carolina Baptists created for themselves when no one else would. Homecoming at Morris is a reunion with that legacy: with the ministers, teachers, nurses, and civic leaders the college has quietly produced for well over a century out of a campus most of the country has never heard of.
For visitors, Morris College Homecoming is a chance to see an HBCU tradition in its most concentrated, unfiltered form — without the corporate sponsorships and the crowds, just a community that has been showing up for itself since 1908.
Why You Should Attend Morris College Homecoming 2027
You do not need a Morris connection to attend, and if you have never experienced a small-HBCU homecoming, this is the one to start with. Everything is walkable. Everyone speaks to you. The gospel music at the Harvest Rally will move you whether or not you sing along, and the basketball doubleheader delivers the same electricity as any football tailgate — just under a roof, at a fraction of the price.
Pair it with a weekend exploring Sumter's deep Black history, and you have a trip that feeds both the soul and the itinerary.
Plan Your Morris Homecoming Trip
What to Expect: Homecoming Week
- Pre-Homecoming Harvest Worship Service & Rally: The traditional kickoff — a gospel-filled campus worship service where Miss Homecoming and the Mister and Miss Co-Ed court are announced and crowned.
- Homecoming Theme Reveal & Campus Events: Past years have carried themes like “The Blueprint” (2020), with a week of campus activities, a gospel concert, and class and alumni chapter gatherings.
- Alumni & Community Day: Returning Hornets reconnect on the historic 33-acre campus, tour the buildings the National Trust helped preserve, and swap stories on the yard.
- Basketball Doubleheader (Homecoming Saturday): The marquee event — women's tip-off followed by the men's game, both against a conference rival, inside the Garrick-Boykin Human Development Center. Come early; seats fill up fast in a small gym.
- Closing Fellowship: Sunday worship and farewell gatherings send everyone home — already looking forward to next January.
Career & Networking Opportunities
Morris College's alumni network is small by design, and that is precisely what makes it powerful — generations of South Carolina educators, ministers, nurses, and public servants who all know each other by name. Homecoming weekend is when that network shows up in one place.
- Alumni chapter gatherings — Morris's National Alumni Association (MCNAA) organizes reunion events during Homecoming; reach out to your local chapter before you arrive.
- Faith and ministry connections — because of Morris's Baptist Convention roots, Homecoming draws pastors and church leaders from across South Carolina, making it a natural place to connect around faith-based community work.
- Campus conversations — with a student body of roughly 400, a walk across campus during Homecoming puts you in easy reach of faculty, coaches, and administrators alike.
Social Events & Parties
Morris College Homecoming is a campus-and-community affair rather than a club-circuit weekend — the energy centers on the Harvest Rally, the gospel concert, and the basketball doubleheader itself. For nightlife beyond campus, downtown Sumter's Fourth Friday Concert Series and the small live-music scene around Main Street give visitors a low-key, welcoming place to keep the evening going.
Where to Eat: Sumter's Best for Morris College Homecoming
- Simply Southern Bistro — Steaks, burgers, and sandwiches in a comfortable Sumter favorite at 65 W Wesmark Blvd. A reliable go-to for a homecoming weekend meal with the family.
- Willie Sue's — Southern cuisine with an upscale twist, known for its wood-fired grill and made-from-scratch sides. One of Sumter's most talked-about tables.
- Palmetto Oyster House — Low Country seafood and oysters for visitors craving a true South Carolina coastal-meets-Midlands plate.
- Jeffrey Lampkin's Country Boy Kitchen — Down-home Southern soul food cooking that feels like homecoming on a plate.
- Kobe Japanese Steak House — Hibachi and sushi for a change of pace between Homecoming events.
- Baker's Sweets Bistro & Bakery — The spot for a homecoming-morning coffee, pastry, or celebratory dessert order.
What to Do in Sumter
- Swan Lake Iris Gardens — The only public park in the United States with all eight known swan species, spread across 150 free-admission acres with walking trails, sculptures by Sumter native Grainger McKoy, and the Butterfly & Chocolate Gardens. A peaceful way to spend a few hours between Homecoming events.
- Riley Park — A historic 2,000-seat ballpark that has hosted championship-level baseball in Sumter for decades.
- Downtown Sumter Historic District — Stroll Main Street past the Sumter Opera House and the National Register-listed downtown, with shops and cafes to fill an afternoon.
- Poinsett State Park — A short drive from campus for visitors who want a quiet hike through the Sandhills, part of South Carolina's Manchester State Forest area.
Black History & Cultural Sites in Sumter
- Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Birthplace & Memorial Park, Mayesville — A nine-acre park with a replica of the cabin where Bethune was born in 1875, a nature trail, and a historical marker placed near the Mayesville Mission School where she first learned and later taught before founding what became Bethune-Cookman University.
- Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Learning Center & Art Gallery — Located in Mayesville, honoring Bethune's legacy as an educator and advisor to five U.S. presidents.
- First Missionary Baptist Church — The Sumter church where the State Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of South Carolina was founded in 1877, directly leading to the creation of Morris College three decades later.
- Historical Lincoln Center & Museum — Housed in the former Lincoln High School building, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015, preserving the history of Sumter's segregation-era Black school system.
- Bill Pinkney Tribute, Manning Avenue — A bust honoring the Sumter County native, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member (The Drifters), and WWII veteran, near his birthplace in nearby Dalzell.
- Walker Cemetery — The historic resting place of many of Sumter's most distinguished Black citizens, including the city's first Black physician and its first Black city councilman.
Sumter is also the hometown of U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn and NFL wide receiver Freddie Solomon, and was home to four of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. For a deeper statewide guide, the Green Book of South Carolina maps African American heritage sites across the state.
Recommended Places to Stay
Sumter's hotel options cluster around Shaw Air Force Base and the Broad Street/Wesmark corridor. Book early — Homecoming weekend rooms move fast in a small market.
Premium
- Hyatt Place Sumter/Downtown — The city's most polished stay, close to downtown. Estimated from $170/night.
Mid-Range
- SpringHill Suites Sumter — Spacious suites near Shaw Air Force Base, a solid pick for families. Estimated from $135/night.
- Tru by Hilton Sumter — A modern, budget-friendly Hilton option. Estimated from $120/night.
Budget & Group
- Quality Inn Sumter near Shaw AFB — Reliable and affordable, a few miles from campus. Estimated from $90/night.
- WoodSpring Suites Sumter Near Shaw AFB — Extended-stay suites with kitchenettes, ideal for group and multi-family Homecoming trips. Estimated from $80/night.
Find & Compare Sumter Hotels for Homecoming →
BTN Travel Tip: Your Morris College Homecoming Itinerary
- Friday — Arrive & Explore: Check in, visit Swan Lake Iris Gardens, then head to campus for the Harvest Worship Service & Rally and coronation.
- Saturday Morning — Black History Detour: Drive out to Mayesville for the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial Park before the day's festivities pick up.
- Saturday Afternoon & Evening — The Doubleheader: Arrive early at the Garrick-Boykin Human Development Center for the women's game, stay for the men's game, and soak in the gym-packed energy.
- Sunday — Closing & Brunch: Attend closing worship, grab a farewell meal at Simply Southern Bistro or Willie Sue's, and head home.
Mark Your Calendar
Morris College Homecoming 2027
Date: Exact date TBA — historically mid-to-late January; BTN will update this page once Morris College confirms
Location: Morris College, 100 West College Street, Sumter, SC 29150
Tickets: Basketball doubleheader admission varies — check morris.edu for updates
Note: Small-gym seating means Homecoming Saturday can fill up — arrive early.
How to Stay Connected
- Official Website: morris.edu
- Hashtags: #MorrisCollegeHomecoming2027 #MCHornets
- BTN Coverage: Follow @myblacktravelnow for HBCU homecoming guides and Sumter travel tips
